Self-sufficiency is directly related to self-esteem. The more a child can do for himself, the more capable he feels. A child who feels capable has a sense of control over his life. He feels competent because he recognizes his strengths. This, in turn, adds to his sense of self-worth. When we honor a tween’s ability to [...]

Part I: A Vicious Cycle Once upon a time there was a sensitive boy. He cried at the drop of a hat. This annoyed the boy’s father who tried to toughen him up. “Don’t be a sissy!” Dad said, which made the boy want to cry even more. But he knew it wasn’t safe. Instead, [...]

Long ago, when my three children were small, I felt the need to get the rules straight. During a particularly trying day, it became obvious that a clear set of guidelines was necessary. Following the assumption that a child cannot be expected to face consequences if she doesn’t know what’s expected of her, the Family [...]

I suppose I could have assumed that I hadn’t heard the whole story when my tween told me that a friend had been bullied at school and that my daughter had defended her. But, to be honest, the topic of bullying has become so common these days that I’ve become a little desensitized to it. Today’s [...]

I’m in the business of thinking. Positive thinking. Both personally and professionally, I study, teach, and utilize the power of thoughts and words. Yet still, my mind takes off like a dog in heat at the first scent of temptation. At 19:00 hours, husband, anticipating the need to have sheets on the bed (he’s so [...]